Tool



c. s. VN BRocKLlN l 2,451,892

oct. 19, 194s.

' TOOL Filed Nov. 13. 1944 VitV 1r INVENTOR. gels 6.' KfZ/Lrm Bym MC Patented Oct. 19, 1948 UNITED STATE PATENT OFFICE This invention relates to improvements in tools and is directed more particularly to tools wherein a working element and handle are associated by novel means.

The principal objects of the invention are directed to a tool wherein a single handle may be used for workably associating with a plurality of working members. The novel construction is of such form as to facilitate the ready exchange and securement .of any one or a number of working members to the handle.

With the foregoing and various other novel features and advantages and other objects of my invention as will become more apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more particularly pointed out in the claim hereunto annexed and more fully described and referred to in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a tool embodying the novel features of the invention with parts in section for clearness;

Fig. 2 is a section plan view on the line 2-2 of l Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the lock member of the tool; and

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the tube of the tool.

Referring now to the drawings more in detail,

the invention will be fully described.

In a general way the tool of the invention includes a handle member 2, a tube 4, lock 6, coupling 8 and the working member I0.

There may be any number of Working members such as I which will be adapted for associating with the handle. `Only one form of working member is shown for illustrative purposes. The form of working member shownhas a lower screw driver end I2 but such member as I2 may take many and various forms such as various sized screw drivers, chisels, and the like. The working ends of the working members form no part cf the present invention.

lThe lock 6 preferably has a pin 32 therethrough and is provided with ear portions I4.

The tube 4 has a lower flange I8 and its upper end is slotted at 20 to receive the ears I4 of the lock E.

The handle 2 may be made from any material desired but it is preferable that said handle be of some moldable material such as a plastic and in the forming thereof the material is cast around the tube 4 and lock 6 whereby the lock and tube 1`Claim. (Cl. 279-91) 2 `are held against rotation relative to the handle by the pin y32 and ears I4.

The coupling 8 is rotatable on the tube 4 and is internally screw threaded. It is held against movement from off the tube 4 by the ange I8 of said tube and is knurled or roughened to provide a surface for manual engagement.

The working member I0 has a threaded portion 22 which is threadedly engageable in the coupling 8 and a shank 24 which is slidably receivable in the tube 4.

The upper end 28 of the shank 24 is preferably flattened to have a surface for fitting against a similar surface 28 on a depending portion 30 of the lock 6.

As a working member is inserted in the tube 4 the upper end thereof engages with the end 30 of the lock 6 and as the coupling 8 is turned the working member is drawn against the lower end of the tube. That is threaded part 22 is drawn against the lower end of the tube and thus the upper end of shank and the lock are held in operative engagement so that the working member will not rotate relative to the handle.

As has been explained, there may be any number of working members other than that shown in the drawing, and by means of the invention any one of a plurality of tools may be associated with the handle at will, the connection and securing means being readily and easily manipulated.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the essential characteristics thereof. Hence, the present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects merely as being illustrative and not as :being restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claim rather than by the foregoing description, and all modifications and variations as fall within the meaning and purview and range of equivalency of the appended claim are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What it is desired to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

A tool of the class described comprising in combination, a handle molded from plastic material about a holder member and a lock member whereby said members are immovable relative to one another and relative to said handle, said holder member having a lower portion projecting downwardly from the lower end of said handle and provided with an upwardly extending cylindrical bore open at the lower end of said member, said lock member disposed at the upper end of said holder member and having a lower lock portion depending therefrom into the upper end of the bore and being half-cylindrical in transverse cross-section and having an outer face contiguous with one side `of said bore and an inner flat face spaced from an opposite Side of said bore, a working member having an upper shank portion which is insertable in the bore of the holder member and is provided with an upper extremity which is half-cylindrical in transverse cross-section and has outer and inner faces complemental to the said opposite side of the bore and inner flat face of the lock portion whereby said shank is held against rotation relative to said holder, said shank provided with an externally screw threaded enlarged por-` tion disposed adjacent the lower end of the holder member, the lower end of said holder member provided'with an outwardly extending annular ilange, and a nut rotatable on said lower end: of the holder member between said flange and lower end of said handle having an internally screw threaded depending portion for screwing onto the screw threaded portion of said shank whereby 4 the said nut is held against axial movement re1- ative to said holder member and said shank is held against longitudinal movement relative to said holder member. 

